Questions & Answers about Schronisko dla bezdomnych jest pełne zimą.
Why is "bezdomnych" in this form, and does it come from an adjective?
Yes, bezdomny is an adjective meaning "homeless" (from bez = without and dom = house). Here it acts as a plural noun meaning "homeless people." It is in the genitive case (bezdomnych) because the preposition dla (for) always requires the genitive.
Why does the adjective "pełne" end in "-e" here?
The adjective must match the gender of the noun it describes. The noun schronisko (shelter) ends in "-o," making it a neuter noun. Therefore, the base adjective pełny (full) takes the neuter singular ending to become pełne.
Why is "zimą" used to mean "in winter" instead of using a preposition like "w"?
In Polish, you can express "during" a specific season or time of day simply by putting the noun into the instrumental case. Zima (winter) becomes zimą (in winter). You could also say w zimie, but using the bare instrumental case is very common and natural.
Can "schronisko" be used for other types of shelters?
Yes, schronisko is a versatile word. Aside from a shelter for the homeless, you will very often hear schronisko dla zwierząt (animal shelter) or schronisko górskie (a mountain refuge for hikers).